Iowa Academy of Science The New Bulletin Volume 5 Number 2 Summer 2009 The Iowa Academy of Science is established to further scientific research and its dissemination, education in the sciences, public understanding of science, and recognition of excellence in these endeavors. Message from the Executive Director Dear Academy Members, Summer has been moving by quickly and I hope the time has been both productive and enjoyable for you. This issue of the IAS Bulletin is available only online and will help you catch up on some Academy activities. We have four public programs scheduled as part of the IAS Saylorville Speaker Series. The June pro- gram by David Brenzel and Holmes Semken on Iowa Giant Ground Sloths drew an audience of 25 in- cluding children. It is wonderful to see families at these events. Check the schedule in this issue for the remaining presentations. The ISTS Leadership has once again put together an excellent program for the Fall Conference to be held October 27th & 28th in Des Moines. More information is found inside this issue and at http:// ists.pls.uni.edu/. The Academy was notified in June that the Iowa Science Foundation received full funding of $50,000 this year. That was great news considering the economic situation. A total of 28 grant requests were received by the ISF Committee with 10 proposals receiving funding. The next issue of the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science will have a new look. Its cover will sport a full color photo related to an article inside. We plan to make the color cover a permanent addition to the Journal. The Academy now has a new Corporate Membership category and we are seeking your help. How about ask- ing a local business to join the Academy? Making face to face contact is the best way to recruit new members. A business may pick from 4 membership levels; $250, $500, $700, and $1,000. A successful corporate mem- bership campaign would provide financial stability for the Academy. Call the Academy office for membership Table of Contents materials. Executive Director Message ··························1 Thank you for your support of the Iowa Academy of Sci- Students Speak to NASA Scientists ··············2 ence. We are working to give you and your colleagues Iowa Geology Field Trips ·······························2 Announcements·············································3 more reasons to belong to the Academy. 2009 IJAS Competition Winners····················3 IAS Speakers Series at Saylorville ················3 Craig Johnson Remembering Dr. Macbride···························4 Executive Director Night at the Science Center of Iowa ··············5 ISTS Fall Conference Update························5-6 Project WET Update ······································7 IAS on Facebook ···········································7 IJAS Students Speak in the planning stage in the early 1980s and was launched on its mission in 1997! The Lunar Recon- with NASA Scientists! naissance Orbiter took 18 months, but then it was In early April, Central Lee sixth graders re- only going to the moon. searched Saturn's moons: Dione, Prometheus, and the duo Janus and Epimetheus. Some students Micaela Bryant asked, " Why did you decide to used their research to draw scientific illustrations study Saturn's moons? " on storyboards showing what they learned, some Answer: We had early data from a quick flyby and students worked alone or in teams to write essays saw some interesting things. We wanted to study about the moons. The essays were entered into it further. Saturn is sort of like a miniature solar the Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest. system with so many moons orbiting it. Because one or more of the sixth grade essays We know that the essays that made it through the passed through the first round of the contest, all first round were written by these four groups of sixth grade students were invited to participate in students: a teleconference with Cassini science team mem- bers. Although the date for the teleconference was 1. Brianna Galvan, Johnny Galbreath, and after school had released for the summer, eight- Alicia Riffle een students chose to return to school to have the 2. Maddie Miller, Joslyn Hawk, Chloe Berg, opportunity to interact with the NASA scientists. and Breanna Kramer 3. Weston Ensminger, Blake Pardall, and The team members from NASA in Pasadena in- Chance Tennant cluded the mission planner, the lead propulsion 4. Seth Davis, Adryan St.Clair, Matt engineer, the formal education planner, Cassini Kramer, and Steve Spalding contest personnel, and the planner of the science on the Cassini mission. Some of the student Submitted by Nadine Weirather, questions were: IAS member & IJAS Mentor William Benson asked, " What is the most re- warding part of being a NASA scientist? " Answers : Discovering new things. The people I work with are so interesting. I get to learn how to Geological Society of Iowa plan and fly a mission. I love my job! Every morn- ing I say, 'I GET to go to work today.' It's exciting Field Trips to see how many people like you students get fired up about our work. Kelsey Bryant asked, " How does Cassini work? " The Geological Society of Iowa annually plans Answer : It is very complex with many systems. its spring field trip to coincide with the Iowa Probably the most important answer is TEAM- Academy of Science Annual meeting. The field WORK! The systems involved are 1. the electrical trip provides a excellent opportunity for IAS system for power, 2. the propulsion system, 3. the Geology Section members and other interested telecommunications system, 4. the thermal con- Academy members to experience an afternoon trol system, 5. the fault protection system (used learning first hand about the Geology of our to self diagnose since the spacecraft is about 80 state. light-minutes away), 6. the CDS, command data subsystem (computer controls), and the 7. mem- The Geological Society of Iowa also sponsors ory system. In addition, there are systems (such an annual Fall Field Trip which Geology Section as the giant 'ears on the ground') on Earth that and other IAS members may wish to partici- need to be working for Cassini to be successful. pate in. For more information and to partici- pate in future field trips visit the Geological Johnny Galbreath asked, " How long does it take Society of Iowa Website: to make a spacecraft? " Answer: Well, JPL holds the record for the fastest spacecraft made from conception to flight: 1 year! We used spare parts to make it. It really just de- http:// pends on the mission and the complexity of the www.iowageology.org/ tools needed to collect data. The Cassini craft was Announcements, Events & Deadlines 2009 IAS Speaker Series • Iowa REAP Assemblies at the Saylorville Visitor Center September—October Find your Assembly here: The Academy began the speaker series in 2008 http://www.iowadnr.gov/reap/ and is pleased to offer 4 presentations in 2009. files/09_rassemblies.pdf These presentations are part of the Academy's • Community College Biologists Fall Meeting mission to promote the public understanding of October 2-3, 2009, Lakeside Laboratory science. All presentations are free and open to the public. Presentation times have been moved to • 2009 ISTS Fall Conference 2:00 p.m. this year. Please tell your friends and Wednesday, October 28, 2009, Polk County colleagues about these excellent presentations Convention Complex, Des Moines and attend if you are able. • IAS Fellow Nominations Due January 8 th , 2009 • Iowa Science Foundation Proposals st 2009 Saylorville Speaker Series Schedule Due January 31 , 2010 • Excellence in Science Teaching Award Ap- The Loess Hills - Iowa's Western plications "Mountains" Due January 31 st , 2010 Saturday, September 5th, 2:00 p.m. Thomas Rosburg • IAS Distinguished Awards Nominations th Associate Professor of Biology, Drake University, Due February 5 , 2010 Des Moines • Abstracts Submissions Due for 123 rd IAS Annual Meeting on or before Fossil Birds of Iowa February 8 th , 2010 Saturday, September 19th, 2:00 p.m. rd Katherine McCarville • 123 IAS Annual Meeting Assistant Professor, Division of Science and April 16th-17th, 2010, Graceland University Mathematics, Upper Iowa University, Fayette 2009 IJAS Annual Meeting Winners Scientific Discoveries of Lewis and Clark along the Western Iowa Border Most Promising Young Scientists Saturday, September 26th, 2:00 p.m. Richard Wacha Emma Schau, Central Lee Middle School Professor of Biology, Drake University, Des Moines Alex Krehbiel, Central Lee Middle School Brice Plein, James Madison Middle School More information and maps are available at the Molly Parrish, Williamsburg Middle School Saylorville Lake website: http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/Saylorville/ Iowa Delegates to the Please Note: Access to the lake is not available 2010 AJAS/AAAS Meeting from Beaver Drive until further notice. Ralph Burne, Maharishi School Pearl Sawhney, Maharishi School Co-sponsored by the Iowa Academy of Science and the Army Corps of Engineers at Saylorville Alternates Lake. KcKenna Templeton, Central Lee High School Lynnely Parker & Bailie Bryant, Central Lee High School 2009 National Youth Science Camp Dele- gates (IJAS membership is not required) Katherine Tjeerdsma, Cherokee, Iowa Adam Koch, Cedar Rapids, Iowa A Tradition of Scientific Leaders - Remembering Dr. Thomas Huston Macbride In his book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv has recalled the nations attention to a human’s basic need to be connected to nature. However, it is thanks to the efforts of the great conservationists of the past that we have wild places to return to. In the year marking the 100 th Anniversary of Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, it is fitting that we of the Academy take a few moments to remember the Laboratories foun- der and our former President Thomas Huston MacBride. Dr. Macbride is one of Iowa’s great conserva- tionists, indeed he was called the Father of Conservation in Iowa in his memorial published by the Acad- emy in 1934.